Old School LathesMarch 2014
This is not your typical product review. I’m not going to tell you about a brand new product, a cutting edge piece of technology, or a product that will revolutionize the way we all work. I’m not even reviewing a single product. Instead, I am going to look at the subject of old lathes and why you should buy one.

Outside the BoxMarch 2010
Project Zoidberg was conceived when a motor delivery for one of our other robots arrived at my teammate’s house, containing a surprising ‘extra’ component. The sender had accidentally packed a pair of Team Delta18V Dewalt ‘power drive’ gear motors. These powerful, drill-based units looked too nice to send back, so a deal was arranged.

Free StrengthSeptember 2008
Fighting robots need to be strong. They also have to fit within a weight limit. This leads to a trade-off between building something capable of taking the forces we impose upon them and the amount of weight we have available for structures.

Electronize Speed ControllersOctober 2008
When first venturing into combat robot building, I, like most, began with RC car speed controllers. It quickly became apparent that even the most highly rated controllers were not robust enough to handle the power demands of the 30 lb class.

Savage - Part 1October 2008
When building a robot for someone else, I always listen to their design brief, put together a concept, and build to that design.

Mind/Iron

Modeling Elecraft’s modular approach to construction and maintenance of their electronic kits, this would be an excellent approach to robot building to ensure longevity of a product and to ease the burden of redesign.